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Trout headlines four Angels on All-Star team

Trout headlines four Angels on All-Star team

Outfielder Mike Trout, third baseman Mark Trumbo, and pitchers C.J. Wilson and Jered Weaver were named to the American League All-Star team

By Alden Gonzalez
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MLB.com |

TORONTO -- Mike Trout isn't old enough to drink -- but he is old enough to be a Major League All-Star.

Trout, the awfully young, mighty good five-tool outfielder, was one of four Angels players selected for the upcoming Midsummer Classic in Kansas City when rosters were unveiled via the MLB All-Star Selection Show presented by Taco Bell on Sunday. Joining him as a reserve on the American League roster, managed by Rangers skipper Ron Washington, will be outfielder Mark Trumbo, along with pitchers Jered Weaver and C.J. Wilson.

"It's awesome getting picked," the 20-year-old Trout said. "I'm getting chills thinking about it right now. Getting to represent the Angels, having Trumbo make it and C.J. and Weave, it's great."

Yeah, the Angels will be pretty well-represented in Kansas City.

They'll have Trumbo participating in the State Farm Home Run Derby and lights-out reliever Ernesto Frieri as one of five Final Vote candidates in the AL, as well as the four representatives -- even though Albert Pujols wasn't selected.

Trout and Trumbo are first-time All-Stars. Weaver will be going for a third straight season and Wilson is making back-to-back appearances, and since neither of them are slated to start Sunday, both are options to start the All-Star Game.

The four All-Stars are the most for the Angels since 1995 and marks the seventh time in franchise history that they've had that many. The club record is six, set in 1979.

"We're thrilled for the guys on the team that are going," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. "It's great for our organization. I think we're well-represented by guys that are certainly deserving."

The 83rd Major League Baseball All-Star Game will be televised nationally by FOX Sports, in Canada by Rogers Sportsnet and RDS, and worldwide by partners in more than 200 countries via MLB International's independent feed. Pregame ceremonies begin at 4:30 p.m. (PT). ESPN Radio and ESPN Radio Deportes will provide exclusive national radio coverage. MLB Network, MLB.com and Sirius XM also will provide comprehensive All-Star Game coverage.

Fans will also have the opportunity to participate in the official voting for the Ted Williams Most Valuable Player presented by Chevrolet via the 2012 MLB.com All-Star Game MVP Vote during the All-Star Game on MLB.com.

Trout wasn't even on the fan ballot when the year began -- because he was still in the Minor Leagues. Now, he's the youngest player in Angels history and the seventh-youngest position player in AL history to be named an All-Star.

The six previous AL All-Star non-pitchers younger than Trout, who will be 20 years and 11-plus months old on July 10, were catchers Butch Wynegar and Ivan Rodriguez, and outfielders Ken Griffey Jr., Mickey Mantle, Al Kaline and Claudell Washington.

"You have to stay humble," Trout said. "That's what my parents always taught me as a kid -- not to get cocky, not to get a big head. That's always been working for me, so I'm staying with that."

Since Trout was called up on April 28, the Angels have taken off, compiling a Major League-best 37-21 record. Trout provided the necessary spark at the top of the lineup, as he entered Sunday sporting an AL-leading .336 batting average and 22 steals to go along with a .391 on-base percentage, eight homers and numerous eye-popping defensive plays.

His exploits were duly noted by fans, as Trout garnered 832,439 write-in votes, the most that any player has received since Freddy Sanchez of the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2006.

"It's going to be great," Trout said. "It's what I dreamed of as a kid. It's awesome."

But while all the talk has centered around Trout, it's Trumbo who has been there all year and has been the Angels' most consistent offensive player, going into the series finale against the Blue Jays with the team lead in OPS (.977), home runs (19) and RBIs (53), to go along with a .313 batting average.

"Just overjoyed," Trumbo said of his first reaction. "To think how far I've come throughout my career, the chance to be a Major League All-Star, it's pretty surreal."

Wilson has been everything the Angels could have hoped for since coming over on a five-year, $77.5 million contract in December, entering his Sunday start against the Blue Jays with the third-best ERA in the AL (2.36) to go along with a 9-4 record.

"If I get to pitch, I want to pitch better than I did last year," said Wilson, who gave up a three-run homer to Prince Fielder in his only inning. "More than anything, I'm really happy for Mark and for Mike, because they really deserve it, they're fantastic players. And it's nice that the league -- the other players and the coaches -- see that, because these guys are special players."

Weaver, who started last year's All-Star Game, missed more than two weeks with a lower back injury but has since returned to form and now boasts ace-like numbers: an 8-1 record, a 2.31 ERA -- higher than only the White Sox Chris Sale in the AL -- and a no-hitter on his 2012 resume.

"As a kid, you look forward to the All-Star Game to see all the guys come out," Weaver said. "Now to come full circle and be a part of it, it's still a tremendous honor. And it's going to be fun to share with some of my teammates, as well."

One who won't be going -- at least for now -- is left-hander Scott Downs, who has given up just one earned run in 26 innings while serving as a part-time closer for the Angels.

Pujols (.269 batting average, 12 homers and 47 RBIs) was fifth in fan voting at first base throughout most of the process and wasn't selected as a reserve, marking only the third time in his 12-year career that he hasn't been selected to the All-Star Game. Last year, he wasn't added despite coming back from his wrist injury in time.

"Getting off to that little rough start this year didn't put him on the team," Scioscia said, "but I'm sure he's going to get back on it some time."